Nonmetallic loose-leaf binder and the like



y 1945- I w. c. BROADWELL 2,374,803

NONMETALLIC LOOSE LEAF BINDER AND THE LIKE Filed Fe b. 20, 1943 72230221 2. Brewed,

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Patented May 1, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NONMETALLIC LOOSE-LEAF'BINDER AND THE LIKE William Broadwell, Warren, Mass.

Application February 20, 1943. Serial No. 476,594 I l 9 Claims. (01. 129-24) This application is directed to non-metallic binders for loose leaf note-books, folders, etc.

The objects of the invention include the provision of an improved loose leaf binder device comprising an elongated base element for at-. tachment to a backing or other support, the base element being curved in cross-section to provide opposite edges for contact with the support, and a flanged split collar depending from the base element and stopping short of the plane of the edges, together with a headed button for penetration through the backing and for locking contact with the flange on the collar to secure the'base element to the support; the provision of a pair of relatively pivotable loose leaf holding fingers disposed in a slot in the base element for manual opening and closing to free or secure the leaves to the support; the provision of fingers as aforesaid, said fingers being non-metallic and having interengaging free ends which slip past each other to become latched by reversely disposed undercut latching shoulders, said shoulders being disposed in the same plane so that although they defiecteach other during the latching action, no sidewise tension is [placed upon the fingers once the latching takes place.

Furtherobjects of the invention include the provision of non-metallic or plastic looseleaf holdlng fingers having corresponding ends secured to a base element for relative pivotingmovement," said fingers being formed with hooks or angles.

adjacent their free, locking ends, to prevent the dispersal of loose leaves when the/fingers are separated; and the provision of plastic, separable loose leaf holding fingers which are provided with interengaging free ends for holding the fingers closed, said free ends, however, being of a con- Other objects and advantages of the invention.

will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which v Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one end of my new non-metallic binder;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22-of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, but showing the fastener removed; 7

Fig. .4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. l; p v

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a section of the base element with the fingers removed;

Fig. '7 is a view similarto Fig. 5 but showing a modification of the invention; J

' and the curvatures of the base element.

As many collars and buttons as may be needed Fig. 8 is a partial side view of a modified latching means;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig.8;

Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged detail views of the latching means of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 12'shows a modified structure. In-the drawing the reference character ID indicates'the back of a loose leaf note book or the like having front and rear cover sheets [2 attached to the back to swing relative thereto to open or close the book. I provide a base element 14 which is made in longitudinally bowed form to present edges Hi to contact the back I0 when the parts are assembled. Incases where the invention is made of plastic, the entire base element about to be described is molded in one piece.

At a point spaced inwardly from an end of the base element, I provide a depending integral collar l8 having a single or double split or splits 20 therein. This collar depends to a pointjust short of a plane passing through the extreme ends of edges l6, and an inturned flange 22 is provided at the free end of the collar.

A button having a flat end flange 2G and a slots 20, and the base element itself may also' spring somewhat, as the collar is integral therewith. However, once head 28 is past the flange,

the collar and base element return to their orig-' inal positions, and the parts are so arranged as to avoid any tension thereon, except for a slight tension: imparted on the base element by the fastener to ensure close contact of edges I6 and the support HI.-v This tension is occasioned .by

the relative lengths of the collar and button,

or desired are used with the base element, It being preferred to form one adjacent each end of the base element.-

.Inwardly of the collars, I provide and also mold integrally a partition or cross-piece 30 which extends fromedge to edge and from the top of the bowed portion-0f the base element substant1ally to the bottom in line with the edges Hi.

This cross-piece has a width substantially as.

Inthe form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the slot 32 bottom of the base member, and these pins are I stead the fixed and movable fingers are provided with fiat abutting surfaces as at 62, so that when the latch 64, substantially the same as in Figs.

also molded integrally with the base member. This base construction is veryrimportant tothe successful use of the invention/and it is die? sired to point out that one of the most important details resides in the molding of pins 38- in tegrally with and at the same time as the molding of the base I4 and partitions 30. This provides a rigid, strong, construction which is easily made i and requires no hand labor in finishing;

Referring now" to Figs. 1 and 5, I provid as shown a pair of similar hookshaped fingers 40. Each finger is formed to provide top and bottom runs 42, M, which approach a parallel. condition, and a side run 45 connecting the top and bottom. Each bottom run terminates in a hook. 48 which has a slot 49 capable of slipping over either of the pins'38 to pivot thereon, and each hook 48 is provided witha fiat surface 50.. The slots 49 are of a nature to allow assembly or disassembly only when the fingers are in their extreme open position, and even then the fingers must be lifted up manually to be removed so that accidental de-' tachment of the fingers is impossible.

Each top run 42 terminates in. a free end which is pointed, see Fig. l, and which has an outer side flush with the finger lateral surface and. an angular inner side 5|. Theinner side is reversely undercut at 52 to form a hook for cooperation with the corresponding hook on the other finger free end, to latch thefingers in their closed condition. p

It will be seen thatthe free ends of the fingers must be laterally sprung. a trifleto disengage the hooksat 52 to permit opening :of the fingers, and that upon closing of the finger, the angled ends will. automatically spring past each other to mutually latch. However, once the hook are seated in latching relation, there isno: lateral tension of.

any kind on the fingers, so that no undesired lateral set of. the fingers is possible- Also, the pointed ends of thefingers are beveled slightly as at 53 so' that these ends, although. sharp, underlie the, lateral. side: surfaces of the no pivoting or looseness in these fingers is possible after latching. Also, this abutting action is useful for imparting a slight tension to maintain latching condition.

A modified form of loose leaf holding finger arrangement is illustrated in Fig. '7 wherein the base element is substantially the same as in the other figures. Howevenin. Fig. '7, one finger,-as at 54, is fixed in a slot 56 corresponding to slot 32, it being immaterial to the invention what means is employed to: secure finger 54, and it may even. be molded. with the base element if convenient- An integral pin 58:, -similar to either bf pins 38, extends acrossslot 5B and pivotally mounts a movable finger 60 this finger being similar to either'of fingers 4'0.

With the construction of Fig. 7, the-bar 34 is unnecessary and maybe dispensed with, -and-in- 1 and 5', is operative, these surfaces abut and prevent any relative movement of the fingers either with relation to each other or to the base element.

Figs.-8 to. 11. inclusive show a further modification of latch'ing'fingers which may comprise two pivoted fingers or a fixed and a pivoted finger. ln-either case, the free ends, 66, 61 are beveled orinclined from top to bottom of the finger ends, instead of from si'd'e'to side as in-Figs. 5 and 7. These ends are pointed but are arranged to underlie the top and bottom finger surfaces as at 68, Fig. 8, for smooth passage of the leaves thereover. It will. be clearthat none of the devices illustrated "will provide catches for the leaves as the latter pass over from one finger to the other.

Finger end} 66 isprovided with'a vertical cavity or aperture 10' having a, side slot 12 for guiding a vertical mg or projection 14 on the inclined end surface of finger 6Tinto thejca'vity. The lug is central of its finger end, and clearly latches the fingers and holds them against movement in any direction. In this case, the fingers cannot be accidentally opened by a sidewiseforce, as sometimes will occur due to the weight of. a large number of leaves.

In Fig. 12 I have shownja form of hook connection for the latching fingers which is similar to the Fig. 5 disclosure but wherein the abutment 34a is'longer and extends in triangular form substantially to the cover 10. The. hooks 18 are fiat at their bottom edges to abut the cover as at 80, and each hook has a curve 82 on a radius to roll incontact with a surface of the abutment 34a when'th'e fingers are opened by pivoting on pins 38a. Abutting surfaces 84 may also be provided, and it will be noted that the hooks are easilydetachable by opening the fingers to their fullest extent-and lifting them, from their pins.

From theabov'e'description it will be clear that I have provided a completelynon-metallic loose leaf binder of" relatively simple but efilcient nature wherein .theloose leaves will be held. by the fingers whetherthe latter are opener closed. Also the latch means is a positive one whichimpartsno deleterious tension transversely ofv the fingers, and the same is true of the fastener device. By reason of the latchconstruction, no impedance is presented to the shifting of the loose leaves from one finger to another; but on the contrary a smooth passage for the leaves is provided, especially since the tendency is not to scrape the edges of the holes of the leaves across the sides of the Iatch,.but only along the bottom thereof, and vboth'the bottom and top surfaces of all the latches are smooth. Due to the fact that" in all'the hereindisclosed constructions, the movable fingersabut a fixed surfacein their latched conditions, no'slippine, nor any other movement, of the fingers is possible in latched condition thereof, and f n-fact the abutments impart a slight tension on thefingers in a direction to help maintain them'latched. Also, all movable fingers are. easily assembled and. de-

tached, and in all cases they have a rolling contact said finger being pivoted to'the base element by the hook, an abutment on the base element to stop the pivotal motion of the finger in its direction of movement to closed condition, mean cooperating with the finger to hold leaves therewith, and a fastener for securing the base element to a support, said fastener comprising a flanged collar fixed on th base element and a separate button having a head for engagement with said collar, said hook having a continuous sliding engagement with the abutment during movement of the finger.

2. A looseleaf binder comprising an elongated, transversely bowed base element, a collar depending from the element, a partition depending from said element but contained within its confines, a slot in the partition, a pin traversing the slot, a leaf holding finger pivoted on the pin, an abutment for stopping said finger in one direction of its movement, and means cooperating with the finger and forming a continuous leaf holder, said base element,- collar, pin, and partition being formed in one integral piece, and a fastener cooperating with the collar to secure the base element to a support.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of relatively movable resilient fingers, a support therefor, and means for latching said fingers,

said latching means comprising complementary beveled areas on said fingers, a cavity in one beveled area, an upstanding lug on the other beveled area, said lug and a wall of the cavity forming interengaging shoulders which are guided into engagement by one of the beveled areas, an

abutment for at least one of said fingers, said,-

, ger to form a continuous leaf holder, said finger 6. A loose leaf binder as recited in claim 2 wherein said means comprises a pivotal finger and said abutment acts on both fingers.

7. A looseleaf binder comprising a base element, means providing a slot in said base, a leafholding finger in the slot, said finger being movable therein, means cooperating with said finbeing movable to and away from said last named means, an element for stopping said finger in its movement to said last named means to position the finger relative thereto, and a pin on the base and extending across the slot, said finger having a hook for detachable engagement on said pin, and a curved surface on the hook for substantially continuous bearing on the abutment during normal opening and closing of the finger.

8. A looseleaf binder comprising a base element, means providing a slot in said base, a leaf-holding finger in the slot, said finger being movable therein, means cooperating with said finger to form a continuous leaf holder, said finger being movable to and away from said last named means, an abutment for stopping said finger in its movement to said last named means to position the finger relative thereto, and said means comprising-a fixed finger, the abutmentbeing integral with the fixed finger.

9. A looseleaf binder comprising a base element, means providing a slot in said base, a leafholding finger in the slot, said finger being movable therein, means cooperating with said finger to form a continuous leaf holder, said finger being movable to and away from said last named means, an abutment for stopping said finger in its movement to said last named means to position the finger relative thereto, and said means comprising a pivoted finger and the abutment being integral with the base element and extending across the slot.

WILLIAM C. BROADWELL. 3 

